Introduction

There is hardly a day go by that I don't find myself sitting down with a cup of tea, visiting my favourite blogs.  The writers are like old friends; kindred spirits.  They tell me about their days, their families, their meals.  They show me the progress on the left sleeve of the sweater they are knitting, or a new dishcloth pattern.  I see their Christmas trees being brought in and decorated, pumpkins carved, eggs painted, closets tidied and organized; simple details of  lives being lived.

I have heard people, who don't seem to understand, comment that no one cares about the minutia of other peoples lives, but I beg to differ, these are the most important things.  When I stand at the checkout counter I am bombarded with the stories about Miley and Britney and  Angelina and Brad. People-stories help us to create our own lives in the way that we want to live them. 
 I understand that blogs don't tell the whole story. Behind the scenes there might be squabbles with partners and children, there might be health issues, there might be fears about money and jobs, but those are the things that we don't need to know.  This is not the part of life we want or need to focus on.  We all have struggles, but it is in the snapshots of beauty and grace-filled bits and pieces that recognize abundant living is available to all.   

I have titled my blog, Willful Simplicity, because I believe it is the simple things that bring us the most pleasure.  Simple things should not be confused with the easiest things. Knitting a pair of socks, for instance,  is not easier than buying a pair... but they carry with them such a sense of accomplishment with each wearing.   When I say simple, I don't mean minimalist.  I live in a house with lots of stuff... accumulated over a lifetime.  When I say simplify in this context, I mean to part with those things that do not make me happy and do not reflect the person I am or the family  want to create. When I say simplify, I mean that I create simple meals of simple ingredients, I work hard to support local businesses and farmers and artisans instead of  contributing to the consumer-driven economy. When I say simplify, I mean I am trying to get away from as many disposable items and plastics that I can in an effort to save money and be environmentally sensitive.  In creating this blog, I should make it clear, that I do not consider myself an expert in anything,  I am just sharing bits and pieces of my life as I live it. 

I am excited to begin this blog, and I hope that you come and visit me with a cup of tea in hand.